愢 (sāi) - Reluctant & hesitant

愢Tone 1

sāi ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

儒三

愢 · sāi

Reluctant;

hesitant;

unwilling;

also refers to being indecisive or having thoughts in mind.

Reluctanthesitantunwilling

Usage highlights

Reluctant to speakHesitant and indecisiveUnwilling to partThoughts in mindFull of concerns

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 果断— decisive; resolute
  • 爽快— forthright; straightforward

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was reluctant to express his opinion (愢于表达).
  • She seemed hesitant to make a decision (显得愢疑).
  • I am unwilling to part with this book (愢于割舍).

Collocations

  • Reluctant to speak(愢言)
  • Hesitant and indecisive(愢疑)
  • Unwilling to part(愢舍)
  • Thoughts in mind(心愢)
  • Full of concerns(愢虑)

Idioms

  • Hesitant and indecisive(愢愢不决)
  • Reluctant to part(愢愢不舍)
  • Full of worries and concerns(愢愢于心)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 愢 combines the heart/mind radical (忄) with 思 (thought), indicating a state of mental hesitation or reluctance.
  • In classical Chinese texts, it often appears in contexts describing emotional restraint or thoughtful hesitation.
  • While not extremely common in modern usage, it preserves nuanced psychological connotations in literary language.

FAQ